Ok, what are we missing? A Virginia man buys an orchid at a Peruvian roadside stand. He brings it back to the U.S., to a botanical gardens in Florida, to be examined. It turns out to be one of the rarest orchids in the world and illegal to import.

The penalty? The Virginia man is facing up to six years in prison for illegally importing and possessing the flower. He has pleaded not guilty.

The owner of the botanical gardens who identified the orchid pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of "accepting and handling the flower" and was fined $5,000.00. A horticulturist also pleaded guilty in a plea deal specifying house arrest for six months, probation for a year and a $2,000 fine.

Why the heavy penalties for one flower? It doesn't even appear that anyone was trying to sell or profit from the orchid. Why not just confiscate the flower and return it to Peru? Was criminal prosecution really necessary? We understand the principle of deterrence but this sure seems like overkill.